The Spying Cat (ONC 2023 Shortlister)

Chapter 1

Autumn 1893. Norfolk, England.

All her life, Kitty had known nothing but a full house. Now she sat alone in the empty parlour of the parsonage, her dark curls glimmering copper in the flickering sunlight. The keys of her beloved pianoforte did not call to her as they once did, nor did the singing of her caged canary enliven her as it used to.

Kitty closed the piano and stood up. A blinding sun burned on the clear blue sky outside, as if mocking her woes. She lifted the window open, then unlatched the little door of the canary's cage. The bird twirled round the room once, twice, and on the third tour, dived clean across the small garden stretching in front of the house.

As she watched her canary glide on the warm autumn air, Kitty caught sight of a rider trotting up the gravelled path towards the parsonage.

"Jimmy!" she called out, but the boy didn't hear.

Kitty rushed to the front door and out, down the steps. Jimmy had steered his horse around the house, towards the back door entrance into the kitchen.

"Jimmy!" Kitty called again, running barefoot after him, and the boy stopped short, startled.

The horse whinnied at the rough halt. Kitty's doe-eyed grin made the boy blush, and he dismounted. The two were of similar ages, except Jimmy worked as a stable hand at Hawkins Hall across the river, and she was Reverend Thackery's niece, raised at the parsonage as one of his own children. Despite Kitty's best efforts, Jimmy never dared to consider himself a true and equal friend of hers.

"Miss Thackery." The boy snatched the cap off his head with one hand. The other held on tightly to the reins. "General Hawkins has asked me to convey a note."

He stuffed his cap under his arm, to dig around his pockets for the paper. Kitty rolled her eyes, nearing the horse.

"It's Cat," she told him and took the reins from his fingers. "Or Kitty. How many times do I have to tell you?"

The boy reddened even more. The horse pushed its head into Kitty's palm, enjoying her caress.

"Is that you, Jimmy?" Kitty's aunt Agnes approached the scene from around the house, having come out through the kitchen.

"How do you do, Mrs Thackery," the boy greeted.

"Well, this is a nice surprise," Aunt Agnes said, then her eyes fell on Kitty's pale feet on the gravel. "This, on the other hand, is not. Where are your shoes, young lady?"

"In the parlour, I think." Kitty shrugged.

Aunt Agnes clicked her tongue at her naughty niece. Jimmy found the note and held it out.

"I've come to deliver this, Mrs Thackery," he said. "And now I must be on my way. The general needs me to prepare the horses for the carriage."

"Thank you, Jimmy." Aunt Agnes took the missive. "Give him our best, will you? Do you need to take back an answer?"

Jimmy pondered, fixing the cap back on his head. "Well, yes, indeed, it would help to know whether you are free to travel into Norwich today."

"Norwich?" Kitty exclaimed. "Why?"

She plucked the note from her aunt's fingers and quickly scanned its contents. The girl squealed.

"Joey is back! Joey is coming home! Jimmy, yes, of course we can come to Norwich!"

Kitty shocked the stableboy with an impulsive embrace.

"Now make haste, we must get ready!"

"Of course." Jimmy climbed back into the saddle. "Have a good day, Miss Thackery."